Elon plans committee to further study Chick-Fil-A issue

Published: Thursday, October 18, 2012 at 06:49 PM.

ELON — Elon University is emphasizing no decision has been made as to whether Chick-fil-A will remain on its campus, at the same time announcing plans for further study of the issue.

Dan Anderson, an Elon spokesman who is one of the university’s vice presidents, announced Thursday the university is creating a committee that will make recommendations to the university’s board of trustees.

While local news coverage has been accurate, Anderson said, there have been “many erroneous news reports” online following a vote by the Student Government Association to recommend that Chick-fil-A no longer be allowed to operate on campus.

That followed a request from some students, faculty and staff that the university drop the restaurant as a food choice. The university-level discussion began after a national controversy earlier this year about Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy’s position against making gay marriage legal and the company’s donation to charities that have been described as anti-gay.

Anderson said the university is creating a study committee to examine the broader issue of Elon’s relationships with vendors doing business on campus. That committee will make recommendations to the university’s board of trustees later this year, Anderson said.

Anderson said the plan is for trustees to outline procedures as to Elon’s relationship with its vendors, with the university’s leadership then applying those procedures to Chick-fil-A.

“This is not going to be a policy that says Chick-fil-A can stay or Chick-fil-A can go,” he said, but will provide guidance on how to handle the situation and potential future controversies.

ELON — Elon University is emphasizing no decision has been made as to whether Chick-fil-A will remain on its campus, at the same time announcing plans for further study of the issue.

Dan Anderson, an Elon spokesman who is one of the university’s vice presidents, announced Thursday the university is creating a committee that will make recommendations to the university’s board of trustees.

While local news coverage has been accurate, Anderson said, there have been “many erroneous news reports” online following a vote by the Student Government Association to recommend that Chick-fil-A no longer be allowed to operate on campus.

That followed a request from some students, faculty and staff that the university drop the restaurant as a food choice. The university-level discussion began after a national controversy earlier this year about Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy’s position against making gay marriage legal and the company’s donation to charities that have been described as anti-gay.

Anderson said the university is creating a study committee to examine the broader issue of Elon’s relationships with vendors doing business on campus. That committee will make recommendations to the university’s board of trustees later this year, Anderson said.

Anderson said the plan is for trustees to outline procedures as to Elon’s relationship with its vendors, with the university’s leadership then applying those procedures to Chick-fil-A.

“This is not going to be a policy that says Chick-fil-A can stay or Chick-fil-A can go,” he said, but will provide guidance on how to handle the situation and potential future controversies.

The study committee will include students, faculty members and alumni, Anderson said. It will be headed by Elon trustee and alumnus William N.P. Herbert and Connie Book, Elon’s associate provost for academic affairs.

CHICK-FIL-Anow occupies a spot in a food court in Elon’s student center. Anderson said plans are for it to stay there until a decision is made. In the meantime, he said, it won’t be included in plans for a new dining hall that will open in January, where it was to have relocated before the controversy prompted the discussion on campus. He’s not sure, Anderson said, where Chick-fil-A would continue to operate on campus if the decision is that it should stay.

Those arguing Chick-fil-A should not remain on campus have said its presence is inconsistent with Elon’s often-stated goal of providing an inclusive environment for students of all backgrounds, including their sexual orientations. Supporters have argued students have the freedom to choose where and where not to eat on campus.

In the wake of publicity about the campus discussion, Anderson said, Elon has received significant input from people off campus, including some with and some without connections to the university. He characterized those comments as overwhelming in favor of keeping Chick-fil-A on campus.

On campus, Anderson said, opinions have been more mixed. Determining how many students and other community members come down on each side of the debate isn’t the key issue, he said.

“We’re not taking a campus vote,” he said, since that is not how university decisions are made.

Still, the university is asking for opinions and is providing an email — vendorpolicy@elon.edu — for people to share their opinions with the study committee.